Thousands hop on board new Meadowlands rail service

EAST RUTHERFORD — A new $185 million rail link to the sports complex survived its first run Sunday without a hiccup, shuttling passengers to and from Giants Stadium for a sold-out U.S.-Mexico soccer match.

The roughly 10-minute trip from Secaucus Station to the freshly painted terminus next to the stadium's Gate B went smoothly Sunday, according to passengers and an NJ Transit spokesman.

Nearly everyone headed to the stadium for the CONCACAF Gold Cup final an hour before kickoff was able to find a seat in one of seven air-conditioned cars. The atmosphere was tame.

In contrast, the concourse at Penn Station, where fans watched boards for track numbers, was cramped and noisy with alternating chants of "Me-xi-co!" and "U-S-A.!"

The link underwent a more strenuous test after the match, when thousands descended on the Meadowlands Station all at once. Almost 80,000 spectators attended the men's final that saw Mexico trounce the United States 5-0. As many as 6,000 came by train, according to preliminary figures from NJ Transit.

The rail link allowed Manuel Villarreal, of Princeton, to escape a backup on the New Jersey Turnpike by heading for Secaucus Station.

"I was going to drive here, but the turnpike was packed so I took the train," said Villarreal, who proudly displayed his Mexico roots with a green and white jersey.

Paul Tripod, of Hillsborough, said taking NJ Transit to the match enabled him to accomplish two summertime goals — bringing 9-year-old son Nick to a soccer match and on a train ride.

Tripod said he was pleased to learn at Somerville station that kids ride free.

"It was the soccer," said Tripod, explaining what drew him to the Meadowlands on Sunday. "The train was a bonus."

While coming by rail has its advantages, some passengers had no choice but to forgo the pre-game pastime of tailgating. No one was seen trying to carry large grills or coolers onto the platforms.

There was beer, however.

Charles Coglianese, of New York, took his tailgate on the rails by packing two reusable shopping bags with fast food and cans of Budweiser. Water from one bag leaked onto the floor at Penn Station as ice meant to keep the beer cold started to melt.

"This is the New York tailgate," he explained. "If you don't have a car, you can still do it."